Georgia Gould Wins Bronze Medal In Mountain Bike Cross-Country Race

U.S. cyclist Georgia Gould has won bronze in the women’s mountain bike cross-country race. The gold medal went to France’s Julie Bresset, who led from the start. Sabine Spitz of Germany won silver, after a late spill caused her to lose contact with Bresset.

Bresset finished a minute ahead of Spitz, at 1:30.52. Gould, the four-time U.S. national champion who lives in Idaho, trailed Spitz by six seconds. The American cyclist was featured here on The Torch before the games began.

In a video interview posted online by Neal Rogers of Velo News, Gould described her feelings after the race.

“There’s people at home that got up at 4 o’clock, to watch me,” she said. “So, I’m glad I didn’t let them all down. Or maybe I did — maybe they were hoping for a gold. Sorry, guys!”

Rogers then asked what it was like to win the medal in front of her family.

“It’s hugely emotional. You put so much work into it. It is just another race, but at the same time, it’s not just another race,” Gould said. “It’s a race that everyone’s shooting for, and everyone’s peaking for. And, you just hope that the preparation that you’ve done is enough to give you what it takes on the day.”

In NPR’s interview with her, Gould recalled the early days of her racing career:

“My husband and I were driving to all of the races in a 15-passenger van with a futon in the back of it,” she said. “I mean, it was totally shoestring, budget camping at the races, and I definitely was pretty broke that year.”